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Los Angeles police have detained a "person of interest" in a series of 55 arson attacks on dozens of cars in the Los Angeles area.

Police say it is too early to say whether the unidentified "person of interest" is the same man shown on a video distributed Sunday.

Authorities distributed video at a news conference from a security camera that showed a white male in his late 20s to early 30s, dressed in black, with receding hair held in a ponytail. The Los Angeles Times reported that the man detained Monday was driving a blue minivan with Canadian license plates.

Authorities last night arrested a German man in connection with dozens of suspected arson attacks that destroyed parked cars, scorched buildings and rattled much of the nation's second-largest city over the New Year's weekend.

Harry Burkhart, 24, was booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling and was being held without bail, authorities said.

Burkhart was arrested earlier in the day because he resembled a 'person of interest' captured on surveillance video, reportedly telling authorities 'I hate America' as he was arrested.

He was stopped by a reserve sheriff's deputy in a van being sought by arson investigators.

Fifty three blazes have flared since Friday in Hollywood, neighbouring West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, causing about $3million in damage.

According to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck, Burkhart is believed to a foreign national from Germany.

It is thought his mother is said to have faced a deportation hearing in Los Angeles County within the last two weeks.

Firefighters have not responded to any other suspicious fires since Burkhart was detained, Moore said.